Neil Dexter became Middlesex's first new signing for the 2009 season this week.

Chief-executive Vinny Codrington confirmed the new arrival in St John's Wood, after Dexter rejected a new three-year deal with Kent and the advances of several other suitors including Essex.

The South-African-born batsman had become frustrated at not gaining a regular place in the Spitfires' top six, despite an average of 41 in first-class cricket.

With doubts over the futures of Ed Joyce and Ed Smith, a Kent fringe player might not be every Middlesex fan's solution for a Crusaders' batting lineup likely to be without Andrew Strauss and Owais Shah for much of 2009 on England duties.

However, Codrington has backed the 24-year-old, along with Dawid Malan and Eoin Morgan - called up this week for the England Performance squad tour of India this winter - to fire a Middlesex promotion bid next summer.

"Neil is a good middle-order batsman and an excel-lent prospect, who will bolster our batting whether or not Joyce and Smith are still with us," he said.

"We could be without Strauss and Shah a lot next year but our young players like Malan and Morgan have bags of promise."

One man who might not be around next year is Dirk Nannes.

Only last week the giant left-arm pace bowler told your favourite local paper he'd love to stay at Lord's.

But a decision to return to Australia this winter to play Twenty20 cricket, may invalidate an affidavit signed by the Dutch passport holder's future here.

However, according to Codrington, Nannes' injury problems also put a question mark over his future.

"Dirk contributed brilliantly in his five Championships matches but because of injury didn't play enough," he said.